Global api deployment and routing

ABSTRACT

A method and a system are provided for implementing a global application program interface and providing routing to a number of services. A global traffic manager may receive an application program interface call from an originating processing device via an open public network. The global traffic manager may return an address of a closest edge server, with respect to the originating processing device, from among a number of edge servers, in an edge network. The edge server may obtain a location having data corresponding to the application program interface call and may make a data specific application program interface call to a data center corresponding to the obtained location. The edge server may receive data from the data center and may ensure that the data is in a proper format. The edge server may send the data to the originating processing device via the open public network.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/046,450, filed on Mar. 12, 2008, and entitled“GLOBAL API DEPLOYMENT AND ROUTING” (Attorney Docket No. 322794.01). Theafore-referenced application is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

A set of services may be accessed via a network by application programinterfaces (APIs) using standard protocols. A delivery model for the setof services may use different service architectures, different uniformresource indicators (URIs), and may be hosted in differentgeographically distributed data centers. The delivery model has a numberof disadvantages, such as:

-   -   forcing developers to understand multiple URIs;    -   making geographic scaling of API services difficult;    -   lack of flexibility with respect to enabling additional services        to onboard new APIs;    -   making scaling in a cost-effective manner difficult; and    -   making access to markets difficult where network performance is        poor.

Further, when user data is stored and managed in multiple verticalservices in multiple data centers, optimization of Create, Retrieve,Update, Delete (CRUD) operations over the user data, through APIs, maybe a challenging problem. The problem may be addressed, in mostservices, by using a subdomain style URI mapped directly to a particularservice through a Domain Name System (DNS) and segmenting the APIs byparticular service names. However, consumers who do not understand thesegmenting of the APIs may not be able to use the services. That is,without a knowledge of seams of the services, a developer cannot developprograms to make use of the services.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that is further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In embodiments consistent with the subject matter of this disclosure, amethod and a system may provide a global application program interfaceand routing to a number of services. An application program interfacecall may be received by a global traffic manager from an originatingprocessing device via an open public network. The global traffic managermay determine a location associated with the originating processingdevice and may return an address of an edge server to an originatingprocessing device. The edge server may be located closest to theoriginating processing device than any other edge server of the edgenetwork. The originating processing device may then make the applicationprogram interface call to the edge server via the open public network.The edge server may obtain a data location having data associated withthe application program interface call and may make a data centerspecific call, via a private backend network, to a data centercorresponding to the obtained data location. Data may be obtained by aserver within a server cluster of the data center and may be returned tothe edge server via the private backend network. The edge server mayensure that the data is in a proper format and may send the data to theoriginating processing device via the open public network.

API data may be segmented by conceptual data type. A configurationserver may maintain a mapping of data types or users to particular datacenters, corresponding to backend APIs. Edge servers may receiveconfiguration changes from the configuration server, via the privatebackend network, and may distribute the configuration changes to atleast one other edge server of the edge network.

DRAWINGS

In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and otheradvantages and features can be obtained, a more particular descriptionis described below and will be rendered by reference to specificembodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings.Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments andare not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope,implementations will be described and explained with additionalspecificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary operating environment for embodimentsconsistent with the subject matter of this disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary data center.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating an exemplaryprocessing device, which may be used in implementations consistent withsubject matter of this disclosure.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts for explaining exemplary processing whichmay be implemented in embodiments consistent with the subject matter ofthis disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining exemplary processing regarding anedge server obtaining configuration changes from a configuration serverand disseminating the configuration changes.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining exemplary processing regarding anedge server receiving configuration changes from another edge server anddistributing the configuration changes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments are discussed in detail below. While specificimplementations are discussed, it is to be understood that this is donefor illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant artwill recognize that other components and configurations may be usedwithout parting from the spirit and scope of the subject matter of thisdisclosure.

Overview

Embodiments consistent with the subject matter of this disclosure mayprovide a method and a system in which APIs may be segmented byconceptual data type. An API call may be received by a global trafficmanager via a first network and the global traffic manager may determinean address of a server in an edge network located closest to anoriginator of the API call. The originator may then make the API call tothe server via the first network. The server may parse a URI, includedin the API call, in order to obtain a data type or an identifier. Theidentifier may be a user identifier, a group identifier, an eventidentifier, a network identifier, or other type of identifier. Theserver may send a request to an affinity lookup server for a location ofdata corresponding to the API call. The server may receive the locationof the data from the affinity lookup server and may make a data centerspecific API call, via a private backend network, to a data centercorresponding to the location of the data. In some embodiments, thelocation of the data received from the affinity lookup server mayindicate a particular server cluster at a particular data center ashaving data corresponding to the API call.

The particular server cluster at the data center may receive the APIcall, may obtain the corresponding data, and may return the data to theserver via the private backend network. The server may ensure that thereturned data is in a proper format and may send the data to anoriginator of the API call in the proper format. Examples of formats,which may be used in embodiments consistent with the subject matter ofthis disclosure, may include Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed, AtomSyndication Format (an XML language used for Web feeds), hypertexttransfer protocol (HTTP), JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), AtomPublishing Protocol (APP), as well as other formats.

Exemplary Operating Environment

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary operating environment 100 forembodiments consistent with the subject matter of this disclosure.Exemplary operating environment 100 may include a network 102, anoriginating processing device 104, a global traffic manager 106, an edgenetwork 108, an edge server 110, a private backend network 111, aconfiguration server 112, and multiple data centers 114.

Network 102 may be an open public network, such as, for example, theInternet, a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a Public SwitchedDigital Network (PSDN), any other type of open public network, or anycombination of the above.

Originating processing device 104 may be a user's processing device, orany other type of processing device, including but not limited to ahandheld processing device, a laptop personal computer (PC), or adesktop PC.

Global traffic manager 106 may be a processing device which provides aservice that manages a DNS for network resources (for example, URIs). AnAPI call may include a URI. Global traffic manager 106 may receive anAPI call, which may be a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request, oranother type of request, from originating processing device 104, and maydetermine the location of originating processing device 104 based on anetwork address associated with originating processing device 104. Thenetwork address may be included in a header of a message including theAPI call. When global traffic manager 106 receives the API call, globaltraffic manager 106 may determine an address of edge server 110 locatedclosest to originating processing device 104 than any other edge server.Global traffic manager 106 may then return the address of edge server110 to originating processing device 104, which originated the API call.

Edge network 108 may be a private network having computing powerdistributed across a large geographic area. In one embodiment, edgenetwork 108 may have globally distributed computing power. Edge network108 may include a number of backbone links for communication amongvarious components of edge network 108.

Edge server 110 may receive an API call from originating processingdevice 104 after global traffic manager 106 received an API call fromoriginating processing device 104 and returned an address of a closestedge server 110 to originating processing device 104. Edge server 110may send a request for a data location of data corresponding to the APIcall via private backend network 111, may receive the data location ofthe data corresponding to the API call via private backend network 111,may make a data center specific API call, via private backend network111, to data center 114 corresponding to the received data location, mayreceive, via private backend network 111, the data corresponding to theAPI call, may place the data in a proper format, and may send the datato originating processing device 104 via network 102.

Configuration server 112 may include a mapping of data types or users toparticular data centers 114, corresponding to backend APIs. In someembodiments, edge server 110 may periodically poll configuration server112 for configuration changes, such as, for example, updates, additions,or deletions. When edge server 110 receives a configuration change fromconfiguration server 112, edge server 110 may store the configurationchanges into a local cache and may distribute the configuration changesto at least one other edge server.

Operating environment 100 is exemplary. In various embodiments, multipleoriginating processing devices 104 may be connected to network 102 andmultiple edge servers 110 may be connected to network 102, edge network108, and private backend network 111. Further, operating environmentsmay include one or multiple global traffic managers 106, connected toboth network 102 and edge network 108, and one or multiple configurationservers 112 connected to private backend network 111. The operatingenvironments may further include a number of data centers 114 connectedto private backend network 111.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary data center 114 in embodimentsconsistent with the subject matter of this disclosure. The data center114 may include an affinity lookup server 202, a data center server 204,a data center network 206, and a number of server clusters 208.

In some embodiments consistent with the subject matter of thisdisclosure, affinity lookup server 202 may be included in only one datacenter 114. In other embodiments, affinity lookup server 202 may beincluded in multiple data centers 114. Affinity lookup server 202 mayreceive, from edge server 110, a request for a data locationcorresponding to data for an API call. The API call may include a datatype or an identifier, and a resource identifier. Affinity lookup server202 may determine the data location corresponding to data for the APIcall based on the data type or the identifier, and the resourceidentifier, and may send the determined data location to edge server110. The data location may indicate a particular server cluster, whichincludes the data corresponding to the API call, within one of datacenters 114.

Data center server 204 may receive a data center specific API call fromedge server 110 and may forward the data center specific API call to oneof server clusters 208 via data center network 206. Data center network206 may be a local area network, or other type of network. A number ofserver clusters 208 may be included in data center 114 and connected todata center network 206.

Data center 114 of FIG. 2 is only exemplary. For example, FIG. 2illustrates data center 114 as having only two server clusters 208.However, any number of server clusters 208 may be included within thedata center 114. Similarly, FIG. 2 shows data center 114 as having onlyone data center server 204. However, multiple data center servers 204may be included within data center 114 and connected to private backendnetwork 111.

Exemplary Processing Device

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary processing device300, which may be used to implement originating processing device 104,global traffic manager 106, edge server 110, configuration server 112,affinity lookup server 202, data center server 204, and/or serverswithin server cluster 208 in embodiments consistent with the subjectmatter of this disclosure. Processing device 300 may be a desktoppersonal computer (PC), a laptop PC, a handheld processing device, orother processing device. Processing device 300 may include a bus 310, aninput device 320, a memory 330, a read only memory (ROM) 340, an outputdevice 350, a processor 360, a storage device 370, and a communicationinterface 380. Bus 310 may permit communication among components ofprocessing device 300.

Processor 360 may include at least one conventional processor ormicroprocessor that interprets and executes instructions. Memory 330 maybe a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storagedevice that stores information and instructions for execution byprocessor 360. Memory 330 may also store temporary variables or otherintermediate information used during execution of instructions byprocessor 360. ROM 340 may include a conventional ROM device or anothertype of static storage device that stores static information andinstructions for processor 360. Storage device 370 may include compactdisc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), a magnetic medium, or other type ofstorage device for storing data and/or instructions for processor 360.

Input device 320 may include a keyboard or other input device. Outputdevice 350 may include one or more conventional mechanisms that outputinformation, including one or more display monitors, or other outputdevices. Communication interface 380 may include a transceiver forcommunicating via one or more networks via a wired, wireless, fiberoptic, or other connection.

Processing device 300 may perform such functions in response toprocessor 1360 executing sequences of instructions contained in atangible machine-readable medium, such as, for example, memory 330, ROM340, storage device 370 or other medium. Such instructions may be readinto memory 330 from another machine-readable medium or from a separatedevice via communication interface 380.

Exemplary Processes

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for receiving anAPI call and returning data corresponding to the API call. The processmay begin with global traffic manager 106 receiving an API call fromoriginating processing device 104 via network 102 (act 402). The APIcall may be in HTTP format and may include a data type or an identifier,and a resource identifier, which may identify a requested resource. Forexample, an API call in HTTP format may have a structure, such as, forexample, “http://api.live.com/<resource ID>/<data type/identifier>”,where “api.live.com” is an exemplary URI, <resource ID> is a resourceidentifier, <data type> is a conceptual data type, and <identifier> maybe an identifier that identifies a user, a group, an event, or anetwork.

Global traffic manager 106 may then determine a closest edge server,from among a number of edge servers, located closest to originatingprocessing device 104 and may return an address of the closest edgeserver to originating processing device 104 (act 404). Global trafficmanager 106 may determine the closest edge server by obtaining a networkaddress, such as, for example, and Internet Protocol (IP) address, orother type of address associated with originating processing device 104.The address may be included in a header of a message including an APIcall. Global traffic manager 106 may perform a reverse address lookup todetermine a location of originating processing device 104. Originatingprocessing device 104 may then make the API call to edge server 110located closest to originating processing device 104 (act 406).

Edge server 110 may receive the API call and may parse a URI to obtain adata type and a resource identifier (act 408). Edge server 110 may thendetermine whether a local cache includes a data location correspondingto the API call (act 410). Edge server 110 may determine whether thelocal cache includes the data location by accessing the local cache todetermine whether the data location corresponding to an API for theobtained data type or identifier, and the obtained resource identifieris stored in the local cache.

If, during act 410, edge server 110 determines that the local cache doesnot include the data location corresponding to the API call, then edgeserver 110 may send a request to affinity lookup server 202, via privatebackend network 111, to look up a data location corresponding to the APIcall (act 412). Affinity lookup server 202 may then receive the requestfrom edge server 110 (act 414) and may look up the data location (act416). The data location may include an address for a particular datacenter and a particular server cluster within the particular datacenter. Affinity lookup server 202 may then send, via private backendnetwork 111, a response, including the data location, to requesting edgeserver 110 (act 418), which may store the received data location intothe local cache (act 420).

After performing act 420, or after performing act 410 and determiningthat the local cache does include a data location corresponding to theAPI call, edge server 110 may send a data center specific API call todata center 114, as indicated by the data location (act 502; FIG. 5).Data may be retrieved at data center 114 and may be sent to edge server110 (located closest to originating processing device 104) via privatebackend network 111 (act 504). For example, data center server 204 mayreceive the data center specific API call and may forward the call to aparticular server cluster 208 via data center network 206. Particularserver cluster 208 may return the data to data center server 204, viadata center network 206, which, in turn, may send the data, via privatebackend network 111, to edge server 110 (located closest to originatingprocessing device 104).

Edge server 110 may receive the data from data center 114 (act 506) andmay ensure that the data is in a proper format for originatingprocessing device 104 (act 508). The proper format expected byoriginating processing device 104 may be indicated within a header of amessage including the API call. If the data is not in the proper format,then edge server 110 may convert the data to the proper format. Edgeserver 110 may then send the data to originating processing device 104via network 102 (act 510).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for processingconfiguration changes received by edge server 110 from configurationserver 112. The process may begin with edge server 110 periodicallypolling configuration server 112 (act 602). Edge server 110 may thenreceive configuration changes from configuration server 112 in responseto the polling (act 604). Edge server 110 may then determine whether thereceived configuration changes are already known to edge server 110 (act606). If the configuration changes are already known to edge server 110,then edge server 110 may repeat act 602-606. Otherwise, edge server 110may update stored configuration data (act 608) and may distribute thereceived configuration changes to at least one other edge server 110 inedge network 108 (act 610). Edge server may then repeat acts 602-610.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process, which may beexecuted in edge server 110, when configuration changes are receivedfrom another edge server. The process may begin with edge server 110receiving configuration changes from another edge server (act 702). Edgeserver 110 may then determine whether the received configuration changesare known to edge server 110 (act 704). If the changes are known to edgeserver 110, then the process is complete. Otherwise, edge server 110 mayupdate stored configuration data (act 706). Edge server 110 may thendistribute the configuration changes to at least one other edge serverin edge network 108.

The embodiments described above provide an end-to-end design thatenables dynamic mapping of disparate data storage endpoints, providesflexibility in incorporating new data types through aconfiguration-based architecture, and provides a geo-scalable,edge-hosted solution that scales out rapidly.

Conclusion

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter in the appended claims is not necessarilylimited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, thespecific features and acts described above are disclosed as exampleforms for implementing the claims.

Although the above descriptions may contain specific details, they arenot to be construed as limiting the claims in any way. Otherconfigurations of the described embodiments are part of the scope ofthis disclosure. Further, implementations consistent with the subjectmatter of this disclosure may have more or fewer acts than as described,or may implement acts in a different order than as shown. Accordingly,the appended claims and their legal equivalents define the scope of theinvention, rather than any specific examples given.

We claim:
 1. A machine-implemented method for serving remote applicationprogram interface calls, the machine-implemented method comprising:receiving from a remote computing device, at an intermediary serverdevice, a request for data made via a remote application programinterface call; transmitting, from the intermediary server device to alookup server via a private backend network, a request for an address ofa data center that serves data corresponding to the requested data;receiving, at the intermediary server device, the address of the datacenter that serves the corresponding data; transmitting, by theintermediary server device via the private backend network, a datacenter specific call to the address of the data center; in response tothe data center specific call, receiving a response from the datacenter, the response from the data center including the correspondingdata; and transmitting a response to the request for the data to theremote computing device, wherein the response to the request for thedata is based on the corresponding data received from the data center.2. The machine-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:caching, by the intermediary server device, the received address of thedata center; receiving, from the remote computing device, at theintermediary server device, another request for data made via anotherremote application program interface call from the remote computingdevice; determining, by the intermediary server device, that the addressof the data center that serves data corresponding to the other requesteddata is included in a cache of the intermediary server device;transmitting, by the intermediary server device, another data centerspecific call to the cached address of the data center; in response tothe other data center specific call, receiving another response from thedata center; and transmitting a response to the other request for thedata to the remote computing device.
 3. The machine-implemented methodof claim 1, further comprising: checking, by the intermediary serverdevice, that the corresponding data received form the data center is ina specified format before transmitting the response to the request forthe data to the remote computing device.
 4. The machine-implementedmethod of claim 1, wherein the address of the data center that servesthe data corresponding to the requested data is determined by a lookupserver based on a type of the data requested by the remote computingdevice.
 5. The machine-implemented method of claim 1, wherein theaddress of the data center that serves data corresponding to therequested data is determined by a lookup server based on an identifierassociated with the remote computing device.
 6. The machine-implementedmethod of claim 1, wherein: the request for data made via a remoteapplication program interface call includes a user identifier; and thereceived address of the data center is based on the user identifier. 7.The machine-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request for thedata made via a remote application program interface was made to theintermediary server device based on a reverse lookup of a networkaddress of the remote computing device.
 8. A computer-readable storagemedium having instructions stored therein for performing operations, theoperations including: receiving, via a network, a remote applicationprogram interface call from an originating processing device;transmitting a request to a lookup server, via a private backendnetwork, for an address of a data center server that enables servicingof the remote application program interface call; receiving the addressof the data center server; transmitting a data center specific request,via the backend network, to the received address; in response to thedata center specific call, receiving data associated with the remoteapplication program interface call; and responding to the remoteapplication program interface call based on the received data.
 9. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operationsfurther comprise: formatting the received data based on a formatassociated with the originating processing device.
 10. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operationsfurther comprise: polling a configuration data server via the privatebackend network for configuration data updates; and forwarding receivedconfiguration data updates.
 11. The computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 8, wherein the operations further comprise: storing the receivedaddress into a cache; and transmitting a second data center specificremote application program interface call to the cached address as partof servicing a second remote application program interface call.
 12. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein: the operationsfurther comprise parsing a uniform resource indicator included in theremote application program interface call for a data type and resourceidentifier; and transmitting the data center specific request includestransmitting the data type and the resource identifier to the receivedaddress.
 13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, whereinresponding to the remote application program interface call includesresponding to the remote application program interface call via a publicnetwork.
 14. A server computing device that services remote applicationprogram interface calls, comprising: a memory and a processor that arerespectively configured to store and execute instructions, includinginstructions for: receiving a data request made via a remote applicationprogram interface call; transmitting, via a private backend network, arequest for an address of a data server having data for servicing thedata request; receiving the address of the data server that has the datafor servicing the data request; transmitting, via the private backendnetwork, a call to the data server at the received address; receiving aresponse from the data server that includes the data for servicing thedata request; and transmitting a response to the data request that isbased on the response from the data server.
 15. The server computingdevice of claim 14, wherein the instructions include additionalinstructions for: caching the address of the data server; receivinganother data request made via another remote application programinterface call; determining that the data server has additional data forservicing the other data request; transmitting a data center specificcall to the cached address of the data server; receiving a response tothe data center specific call from the data server; and transmitting aresponse to the other data request.
 16. The server computing device ofclaim 14, wherein the instructions include additional instructions for:formatting at least a portion of the response from the data server intoa response format associated with the remote application programinterface call.
 17. The server computing device of claim 14, wherein theaddress of the data server that has the data for servicing the datarequest is determined based on a type of the data requested via theremote application program interface call.
 18. The server computingdevice of claim 14, wherein the address of the data server that has thedata for servicing the data request is determined based on an identifierassociated with the remote application program interface call.
 19. Theserver computing device of claim 14, wherein: the data request made viaa remote application program interface call includes a user identifier;and the received address is based on the user identifier.
 20. The servercomputing device of claim 14, wherein server computing device wasselected from a plurality of server computing devices based on a reverselookup of a network address of the remote computing device.